---
title: User interface
status: published
author: steveruizok
date: 3/22/2023
order: 3
keywords:
  - ui
  - interface
  - tools
  - shapes
  - custom
  - button
  - toolbar
  - styles
---

The user interface in tldraw includes the menus, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, and analytics events in the editor.

## Hiding the UI

You can hide the default tldraw user interface entirely using the `hideUi` prop. This turns off both the visuals as well as the keyboard shortcuts.

```tsx
function Example() {
	return <Tldraw hideUi />
}
```

Here's [an example](/examples/hide-ui) of what that looks like. Note that while you can't select any other tools using the keyboard shortcuts, you can still use the `setCurrentTool` method to change the tool. If you open the console and enter:

```ts
editor.setCurrentTool('draw')
```

...then you can start drawing.

All of our user interface works by controlling the editor via its `Editor` methods. If you hide the user interface, you can still use these same editor's methods to control the editor. Our [custom user interface example](/examples/custom-ui) shows this in action.

The source for these examples are available in the [tldraw repository](https://github.com/tldraw/tldraw/blob/main/apps/examples/src) or on [our website](https://tldraw.dev/examples).

## Events

The [Tldraw](?) component has a prop, `onUiEvent`, that the user interface will call when certain events occur.

```tsx
function Example() {
	function handleEvent(name, data) {
		// do something with the event
	}

	return <Tldraw onUiEvent={handleEvent} />
}
```

The `onUiEvent` callback is called with the name of the event as a string and an object with information about the event's source (e.g. `menu` or `context-menu`) and possibly other data specific to each event, such as the direction in an `align-shapes` event.

Note that `onUiEvent` is only called when interacting with the user interface. It is not called when running commands manually against the app, e.g. calling [Editor#alignShapes](?) will not call `onUiEvent`.

See the [tldraw repository](https://github.com/tldraw/tldraw/tree/main/apps/examples) for an example of how to customize tldraw's user interface.

## Overrides

The content of tldraw's menus can be controlled via the `overrides` prop. This prop accepts a [TLUiOverrides](/reference/tldraw/TLUiOverrides) object, which has methods for each part of the user interface, such as the `toolbar` or `keyboardShortcutsMenu`.

### Actions

The user interface has a set of shared `actions` that are used in the menus and keyboard shortcuts. These actions can be overridden by passing a new set of actions to the `overrides.actions` method.

To create, update, or delete actions, provide an `actions` method that receives both the editor and the [default actions](https://github.com/tldraw/tldraw/blob/main/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/context/actions.tsx) and returns a mutated actions object.

```ts
const myOverrides: TLUiOverrides = {
	actions(editor, actions) {
		// You can delete actions, but remember to
		// also delete the menu items that reference them!
		delete actions['insert-embed']

		// Create a new action or replace an existing one
		actions['my-new-action'] = {
			id: 'my-new-action',
			label: 'My new action',
			readonlyOk: true,
			kbd: 'cmd+u,ctrl+u',
			onSelect(source: any) {
				// Whatever you want to happen when the action is run
				window.alert('My new action just happened!')
			},
		}
		return actions
	},
}
```

The `actions` object is a map of [TLUiActionItem](/reference/tldraw/TLUiActionItem)s, with each item keyed under its `id`.

### Tools

Tools work in the same manner as actions. You can override the default tools by passing a `tools` method that accepts the [default tools object](https://github.com/tldraw/tldraw/blob/main/packages/tldraw/src/lib/ui/hooks/useTools.tsx) and returns a mutated version of that object.

```ts
const myOverrides: TLUiOverrides = {
	tools(editor, tools) {
		// Create a tool item in the ui's context.
		tools.card = {
			id: 'card',
			icon: 'color',
			label: 'tools.card',
			kbd: 'c',
			onSelect: () => {
				// Whatever you want to happen when the tool is selected.
				editor.setCurrentTool('card')
			},
		}
		return tools
	},
}
```

The `tools` object is a map of [TLUiToolItem](/reference/tldraw/TLUiToolItem)s, with each item keyed under its `id`.

### Translations

The `translations` method accepts a table of new translations. For example, if you wanted a tool to reference a key `"tools.card"`, then you should at minimum provide an english translation for this key.

```ts
const myOverrides: TLUiOverrides = {
	translations: {
		en: {
			'tools.card': 'Card',
		},
	},
}
```
